


Gotham In Ruin

by Icechild



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Batman and Robin (Comics), Justice League - All Media Types, Nightwing (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics), Red Robin (Comics), Robin (Comics)
Genre: Apocalypse, Blood, Bruce Needs a Hug, DaddyBats, Emotional Trauma, Family Bonding, Gore, Hurt Damian, Hurt No Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Injured Damian, Injured Dick, Injured Jason, Injured Tim, Self-Harm, Triggers, Zombies, father son moments, hurt dick, hurt jason, hurt tim
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-02
Updated: 2019-04-02
Packaged: 2020-01-01 04:43:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18328847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Icechild/pseuds/Icechild
Summary: The virus started in Gotham and spread everywhere like wildfire. It wasn't long before the entire world was covered in what could only be called Zombies. They had tried to set the manor into panic mode but it was too late. The yards were flooded by people who were trying to escape and one had been bitten. They managed to break the doors down and they got inside. By the time they were all down into the cave and hidden away from the rest of the world, they had already lost a member of their family.





	Gotham In Ruin

It was while they were still in the manor that it happened. All four of the boys had been together for once without fighting. Dick and Jason had been mercilessly tickling their younger brothers while Bruce and Alfred watched over them as the News channel ran dimly in the background. It was nice. The glow from the sunset outside that was filtering in through the window was warm, the smell of tea and coffee blending together as the sounds of wrestling and laughter rang through the manor. Bruce watched Jason blow a raspberry onto Tim's stomach causing him to laugh so hard he started crying as Dick tackled Damian back down into the pile to smother him. The carpet rubbing up against them as they all rolled around but none of them were bothered by it. It was great. The best day they had had in awhile. But this was their life, so nothing was ever good for very long.

The news reporter switched as the Emergency Broadcast alert blasted through the TV's speaker's suddenly. They were talking about rioting in downtown Gotham, about how it was spreading and people were tearing each other limb from limb. They were saying that there was an outbreak, and people who should have been dead were standing back up and joining in the fight. They were calling it an apocalypse. A Zombie, apocalypse. They were saying there was a quarantine but people have broken through and now it's on every media device. It's spreading everywhere faster than the Flash. Central, Metropolis, Coast. And now the sounds filtering in through the window aren't birds chirping and stray cats and squirrels playing outside, no, now it was screaming, panic, and running as people were taking their chances on foot to one of the best equipped people to care for them. The richest man in Gotham. They were running for Bruce Wayne.

All of them moved into fight mode on instinct. It wasn't hard to tell that there were infected among the crowd as some would fall in groups only to get back up later with blood on their body's. Alfred went to the panel hidden in the wall and entered the code for a manor wide panic. The titanium steel doors and covers slammed down over every way in and out of the building but it wasn't before the main doors were burst in by the sheer force of the people outside. Dick and Jason picking up Damian and Tim as their eyes stayed glued on the people the large panic doors had crushed on the way down. Trying to ignore the way their bodies had squelched down and how their bodies were still moving without the other half.

They were just trying to get down into the batcave. It wasn't that far away from them to get to the closest entrance. But it was too close and too risky that an infected would get in or a regular person would see it and make the connections and if this was just for a short term the implications of a random civilian knowing who they really were was bad. Bruce was the one who was leading the charge down the hallways while Alfred made sure that Dick and Jason stayed close to him with Tim and Damian on their shoulders. Alfred was the one who was bringing up the rear. They were running as fast as they could but unfortunately so were the normal people. All they heard was an "Umpf" from Alfred as he was grabbed from behind and then promptly swarmed by people screaming that they would have to stop now. And stop they did. All of them were ready to fight off this crowd to get Alfred back, he meant too much for them to just leave him there. They were getting ready to make their move and then, just as Bruce stepped forward to throw the attackers off, an infected slipped by and sunk its teeth into Alfred's shoulder. They all watched in horror as Alfred tried to shake them all off and managed to break free just to turn to the people he saw as his son and grandchildren. He gave them a kind, sad, loving look. One that screamed "I'm Sorry" and "I love you" all at the same time. The look that said they know it's too late to save them. The kind that knows it will be the last time they ever get to see each other, the kind that is accepting death with open arms.

"Go! Get out of here! I'll hold them off!"

"Alfred no!"

"Go Master Bruce. Take care of them. They are good boys, keep them safe. And Richard, Jason, Timothy, Damian, keep your father out of trouble. I love all of you."

And then without another word Alfred turned into the crowd and hit away everyone who tried to get past him. He pulled out a hidden pistol and began to shoot at them. It took everything in Bruce to turn away from him and start to move again, he grabbed Jason and Dick's arms and pulled them before they followed on auto pilot. Tim and Damian being uncharacteristically quiet up on their shoulders. Eventually they made it down to a hidden bookshelf entrance and they went through down into the cave.

It's where they have been for the last two days. No one had talked much since they lost Alfred. Bruce was watching on the computer to see how the virus was being fought only to find that it wasn't. Governments were abandoning their people. Power was being shut down. Soon everything would go dark. There were either riots or infected wherever you looked in the world. No where was safe anymore. The apocalypse had come, and despite all the heroes that this world had, there wasn't a damned thing they could have done to stop it.

The family was split apart, everyone was doing their own things, no one was really speaking. It wasn't out of spite, not at all no one was angry at anyone else in the family, it was just their way of coping, alone. Everything was always done alone here, it's what got them into this mess in the first place, no one really relied on anyone else aside from Alfred and now he was gone. Dick wasn't going to put up with this any longer. He stood where everyone could see him. Bruce was at the computer Damian was sharpening his sword for the umpteenth time, Jason was cleaning his guns again while reading some book he had stashed away down here, and Tim was at the gadget table building something, probably just trying to keep his mind and hands busy.

"Alright enough of this," all eyes on him minus Bruce, he looked at each of his brothers. "There are still people out there. We need to help them. We're heroes, aren't we? Isn't that what we've spent our whole lives working for?  Being heroes that people can look to in times of need? This sure as hell is a time of need and where are we? Tucked away in our cave. We're  _ hiding _ Bruce." He paused to recenter himself before continuing. "Listen, I..I miss him too, okay? But what would he say if he were here huh? He'd say we're all just being a bunch of Bruce's brooding down here." That earned him some small grins and some chuckles from his brothers. He made his way to the computer chair and blocked Bruce's view of the screen. "You raised us to be heroes, to stand tall, to protect each other. We....we can't stop now..."

The family had all migrated together to stand around the chair as they had so many times before, only this time, they were a member short.

"We have to get out there. We need to keep the people safe. It..It's the only way Bruce."

They all waited with baited breath for his answer.

"You're right, Dick."

He breathed a sigh of relief. "Course I am. Now. Let's get out there Batman."

* * *

 

The worked in a tight group, flying over the rooftops but staying close as to not lose sight of one another. Anyone they came across they were taking over to the government safe zones that had managed to evade the infected thus far. They worked and worked until the sun was setting and the bats felt even more at home in the darkness. With Zombies on the street they didn't follow the sun schedule, they were there full time now. They were checking crime alley again during another sweep when they heard it. Large crashes and a scream, a scream that came from someone that wasn't infected, that needed help. Instantly Batman and his Robins took off towards the sounds and they found a convenience store that was separate from everything else. They saw the girl that they guessed had let out the scream and alerted them to the area. The only thing, they were too late. They could only watch as a zombie ran out from the side and tackled her down, it wasn't long before she was covered and they knew she was gone. If there was one there were probably more. People don't just go around outside in the zombie apocalypse alone, not if they could help it.

They jumped off the roof they had been watching from and down onto the roof of the store, the five of them shared looks before splitting up to two groups and sweep. Batman, Red Hood, and Robin searched inside the building while Red Robin and Nightwing checked to see if there was anyone hiding from the small zombie hoard that was lurking outside.

Once they all got inside the building it was dark and quiet. They used hand signals and looks to talk with each other, bat language as so many others before had called it. Robin stayed close to Batman's side, the older being worried about losing his son in the chaos. Red Hood on the other hand went to the other side of the store to look. They heard a rumble of thunder outside and carried on with speed. They have all worked in the rain before many times, but something about the way the thunder had rolled this time sent them each an ominous feeling. Batman and Robin checked everywhere they could think of until they heard Red Hood call out to them. Making their way over they saw a pile of shredded bodies all twisted with one another.

"Looks like we found that kids parents."

The bodies were so destroyed they couldn't turn into one of the infected but all of them still kept away from what they thought to be the head area. Batman sighed knowing that there had been another young child orphaned and before he had been able to help, she had been killed in the same manner as them. It was a cruel twist of fate, and it had him worried for his children more and more every minute. All of them were happily putting themselves into the line of danger for the sake of others and they weren't even blinking over the fact that one wrong move would kill them. Now more than ever. It made the father in him roar to see his children not even blinking at the sight in front of them here. What had he done? With another bright flash of lightning and another loud crash of thunder overhead Batman gave the order for them to go back out and rendezvous with Nightwing and Red Robin. By the time they got outside, the sight they were met with made their hearts skip and their blood run like ice in their veins.

* * *

 

Once they watched Batman, Robin, and Red Hood all get inside the building Red Robin and Nightwing looked at each other and Nightwing gave the sign for Red Robin to stay close. He didn't want to lose his brother out here. He knew full well that Tim could handle himself in a fight but that didn't make him any less protective of him when they were in danger all the time like they were out here. Open, exposed, and now with thunder rumbling overhead. They were checking every place a person could hide outside both of them had their weapons drawn and ready, but no amount of preparation would have had them ready for what they walked into. Zombies seemed to be coming out of everywhere at once. As if they had received some sort of signal telling them all to move in on their one location. It didn't take long before the two young heroes were completely surrounded, they were fighting back to back, using headshots in order to take down the zombies and they were fighting and hoping that Batman would come out soon and they'd have backup. The rain had begun and was now coming down in buckets drenching both of them to the bone and not helping their footing in the fight. They were doing supremely well. Anyone else would have already been taken down, but the two brothers continued on in a perfect tandem fending off the attacks from the walking dead before them. They went on like that for minutes, the exhaustion eating away at them but still going strong until Red Robin got slammed into the ground from the side. Nightwing very quickly turned and tried to fight his way in but his little brother was already being swarmed now that he was on the ground. He was doing his best and Nightwing felt hands on him and let loose. There was no restraint as he took down the zombies left and right, throwing caution to the wind and fighting with everything he had in him because his brother was in danger and he'll be damned if he let it happen. After fighting longer than should have ever been possible the last zombie fell to the ground fully dead and unable to reanimate. Nightwing barely wondered where Batman was before he saw his little brother wasn't getting up, instead laying on the ground surrounded and covered by red.

Nightwing was with him in seconds, no, not Nightwing, Dick. They were brothers right now. Not two heroes who would team up. It didn't take him long to realize that the red covering Tim's frame was his own blood. Claw marks and teeth marks covered the younger boy and he whimpered and tried to get away from the pain. The pain of being shredded, mauled, and eaten. Dick didn't know what to do, he could get Tim to the cave, they could work on a cure. He let his hands flutter over his brother before a light touch on his wrist pulled him out of his head and back to the soul sucking reality in front of him.

"Dick....Y-you gotta stop me..."

"Timmy you're gunna be fine. Don't worry you're gunna-"

"I-I'm dying....T-they bit me....I-I'll turn if you don't...don't kill me..."

"I'm going to get you back to the cave we're going to find a cure, patch you up you'll be okay. Just keep talking to me okay?"

"D-Dick-" He paused to cough up blood and Dick brought him up to cradle him on his lap. The rain smearing with the blood, dirt, and sweat on their faces, masking the tears that sprang from their eyes. "E-even if t-they hadn't...bit me....'s too much blood..."

"Timmy.."

"Can you take our masks off?...I-I wanna look at you again....b-before I-I can't anymore...."

Dick nodded and pulled both the masks off their faces. The tears on both of them became more and more prominent. Dick knew his little brother was right. He was dying, he was accepting it, but the worst part was that Dick knew he hadn't been able to protect him from it.

"I-if you find them...t-tell the others that I'm sorry....didn't...didn't wanna go like this....but w-when do we get what we want...." He looked up at his brother and wiped away one of his tears. "D-don't be sad Dickie....I-I'm the Robin Batman never wanted...."

"No Timmy that's not true he loves you-"

"'sides...we all know red was always my color..." He smiled and laughed at his own joke but it quickly turned to him coughing more blood. "Y-you gotta kill me Dick....I-I don't wanna turn...I don't want to be like them....I-I'm scared...."

"Don't be scared Timmy...I'm right here...I'm right here..."

"'m kinda tired...."

"....Just go to sleep Timmy...." It was destroying his heart to say this to his brother. He knew that when he saw those beautiful blue eyes close it was the last time he'd ever get to see them. "Just sleep...."

"Dick?...."

"Yeah?"

"Will it hurt?"

Yes. "No. Not anymore...You'll be okay Timmy..."

"Will I see Alfred again?..." His voice was fading fast and reaching a hand to his pulse point Dick knew his time was very limited.

"Yeah...Yeah I'm sure. Y-you'll see everyone again."

"Dick?..."

"I'm right here Timmy."

"I love you....."

Before he could respond he felt his little brother's heart stop. His chest no longer raised with his breath. His heart no longer pumped his blood. His little brother was gone. Choking on sobs he knew what he had to do. He reached into his belt, pulled out a knife, and placed the tip at his brother's temple.

"I love you Timmy....."

He pressed the knife in. His brother was gone. Lightning crashed overhead and Dick cradled his brother close to his chest and stayed there. He was soaked in blood, in rain, sweat, tears. It was all his fault.

* * *

 

He didn't know how long he sat on the ground surrounded by corpses holding his dead brother to his chest. He couldn't feel anything and he didn't care that he couldn't. He was so cold. If a zombie had come up to him he would have let it bite him and he would have accepted it. He'd failed. It was his fault. He distantly heard the door of the store open and the light footfalls he recognized after being with them for years. He heard them come around the corner and stop, very carefully and slowly he pulled himself off the ground holding Tim's body in a bridal style. He didn't want to look at them. He should have been the one that died. He stumbled out of the bodies piled around where he had been and instantly the others were with them. Bruce was taking Tim out of his arms and laying him down to assess him while Jason and Damian were looking at Dick trying to figure out why he wasn't responding. They were both completely covered in blood and if they didn't know better they'd have thought Dick had been infected himself. But the zombies don't lift their little brother and carry him home. It was impossible to tell if Dick was hurt or not with all the blood on him and he was so unresponsive.

"Batman I think he's in shock."

"Tim is dead."

That made them pause. Tim was....dead?

"What?"

"Father?...."

"Dick what happened?"

"I-I didn't.....we couldn't.....too many...."

"Bruce I really don't think now's the time-" Jason could see the look in his brother's eyes. Dick was nowhere near able to tell what happened. He hadn't even fully processed it just yet.

"Jason do not tell me when the time is to find out what happened. He was my son-"

"Father." Once Bruce and Jason were both looking at him Damian continued. He may not have always gotten along with Tim but slowly they had come to accept each other as family. "We need to get them home first."

Before anyone else could speak again Dick was moving. Moving with a speed that would have made the Flash jealous he ran to the edge of the building and with his sticks he took down three more zombies that were coming out towards them. Bruce pressed his lips and took a steadying breath. This was hitting all of them hard. He had to remember that. He could get information later at the moment his eldest looked about ready to keel over himself.

"We're going back  to the cave. Everyone get to the rooftops."

They all obeyed, Jason gently picking up Tim's body and cradling him softly bowing his head to place a kiss to Tim's forehead. "Why'd you have to die like this replacement."

They all got up, Dick trying to move on and keep going. The rain was still pouring down on them all as they ran and vaulted across the roofs to where they had left the batmobile and the bikes. They were running at full speed to get home, out of the rain, where they could take off the masks and grieve. They lost Tim today, their brother, their son. They lost family. They stopped suddenly on a roof three blocks away from where the bikes and car were parked and they heard a scream in the distance.

Batman spoke first, "We will split up Red Hood take Red Robin to the car. Nightwing go with them. Robin you're with me we will investigate and you will wait for us to return to start heading back to the cave."

No one expected Dick to be the one to fight it. "Seriously B? No. We aren't splitting up. Not right now, not after we just. Not after what just happened. We go together. No matter where we are."

"If we all went to investigate right now Hood wouldn't be able to fight because his hands are full of Red Robin, who was killed on your watch, and the risk for him would be even higher. Or are you just trying to kill off your younger brothers?"

Jason and Damian instantly stepped in at that, Jason laying down Tim's body and grabbing Dick as he stumbled back from Bruce on shaking legs with the look of pure horror on his face. Damian got between them to stop Bruce, no, not Bruce right now, Batman, from advancing.

"You have no right to speak to Grayson like that."

Dick swatted Jason's hands away and went back to Bruce anger evident on him while rain water ran down his shaking body.

"How dare you! You weren't there Bruce! You don't know what happened!"

"Because you wouldn't tell me!"

"You're going to lecture me on this!? Are you kidding me!? Do you remember how you were after Jason died? You said nothing to anyone for days Bruce! You pushed me out! So don't you dare come here and say that I'm trying to get them killed! Not after what just happened."

At that point in his rant they could see the pallor of his skin and they noticed the way he was shaking. Jason and Damian were glowering at Bruce for saying what he did while Bruce himself was wishing he could take back everything and never say that to his son.

"Dick-"

"Don't touch me. We need to go. We have to get Timmy home."

They kept running to the next rooftops and began to repel down the side of the building where Bruce went down first then Jason holding Tim firmly into his side then Damian then Dick. When Dick reached the bottom the only warning they had was the slight sway as his feet touched the ground before he collapsed. All three of them moved forward to see if he was alright Jason and Damian reaching him while Bruce stayed back in case his eldest didn’t want to see him. Not that he would be surprised. Not after what he just pulled. 

“He’s burning up. Dick? Dick talk to us?”

Once he heard that Bruce was just too worried to not go closer. He kneeled down and noticed the glazed unseeing look in Dick’s eyes. His skin was white as snow and his breathing was quick and shallow. 

“Son, can you hear me?” He was regretting everything even more now if that was possible. First he had blamed Tim’s death on him and now they didn’t even know what kind of medical state he was in. 

The only response they got out of that was seeing his eyes roll back into his head and his body going tense as he began to seize on the ground. They all jumped back and were forced to wait it out until Dick finally laid still on the wet Gotham back alley again. Bruce immediately checked his pulse and could feel the rapid shaky beat beneath his fingers. He acted fast as he pulled his son into his arms and ordered his other boys.

“Jason get Tim into the car. You two take the bikes back we need to get to the cave, now.”

Neither of them questioned him. They just lost one brother and now they could very easily lose another. 

Once they got back to the cave Jason and Damian dismounted their bikes faster than they ever had before. 

“Bruce how is he?”

“Father, how is Grayson?”

Both the boys ripped off their masks and ran over to where the batmobile had just screeched over to a halt. Bruce stepped out with his cowl down and gently lifted Dick out of the passenger seat of the car, his head lolling against the bat emblem on Bruce’s chest.

“His pulse is weak, I’m taking him to medical, we need to get him cleaned up and see what’s causing this.”

Jason walked over to the car and carefully lifted Tim’s body out of the back seat. He looked down at him again and quietly called out to Bruce.

“B?...Where?...Where do you want me to take him?....”

“Follow me.”

All three of them walked to the medbay where Bruce gently laid Dick out on the bed and then motioned for Jason to lay Tim on the other one. Damian stood on standby to help wherever he was needed. Both the boys were still in mild shock from what happened so suddenly.

They all knew the risks, they all knew that it could kill them one day, and there was no doubt that without their training then they wouldn’t have lasted nearly as long. However, without their training they wouldn’t have been out there today, they wouldn’t have gone to help the girl who screamed. They wouldn’t have split up, and Tim might still be alive. Dick, they didn’t even know the kind of state that he was in. 

Bruce was focusing on taking off Dick’s Nightwing uniform and carefully pulling it from his body. It was just after he’d gotten the top part off when he noticed that there were three claw like marks on Dick’s left side. He checked the uniform and noticed that there were corresponding marks in his suit. Dick’s mask was long since gone, and Bruce checked his forehead. He was too warm, much, much too warm. He patted the sides of his face in an attempt to wake him up, noticing his two other boys walking over and seeing the wounds as they started to work on how to treat it. 

“Dickie? Can you hear me? I need you to open your eyes son.”

They heard a small, weak groan come from the man on the table and all three of them were worried. They didn’t know how scratches would effect a person. They didn’t know if it could turn them.

“That’s it son. Just open your eyes. Come back to us. We’re here.”

“...who?....” His voice was tiny, just over a whisper, thick with sleep and sickness.

“It’s me, Dickie. Your brothers are here.” He saw as Jason grabbed Dick’s hand and Damian lightly touched his shoulder. “We’re right here. Just us. Can you open your eyes?”

After a bit of struggling his eyes slowly flickered open. They could see the tiredness and pain in his eyes. 

“Hey big bro, you with us?”

“J-Jason?....”

“Yeah, yeah it’s me.”

“..w-where?...”

“We’re home. It’s okay. You’re okay...just...how’d you get these?”

“....I-I don’t….”

“Dick. There is no way they just clawed through your armor. What happened out there.”

“.....T-timmy?.....w-where?....”

“Dick?...”

“S-swarmed...h-he’s hurt….b-blood...cold...w-where?.....w-w-who?....”

He started moving around on the bed trying to get up and his fever spiked up dangerously his pulse rate skyrocketing through the roof. He started to hyperventilate and all three of them move to push him back down into the bed. Bruce could see his boys were scared. They all were. Dick wasn’t all the way there right then. 

“Dick. Dick. You need to calm down and listen to this okay? Can you do that for me Chum?”

“B-bruce?....”

“I’m here. I need you to calm down.”

“T-Tim..T-Timmy…”

“He’s….Dickie he’s gone…”

“M-my fault….”

“No…” Bruce could feel his words from earlier stabbing into his heart and twisting painfully. How did he miss this. 

“‘M p-poisonous….n-numb...c-can’t...don’t….s-s-stop….”

“Dick? Dick, c’mon. Look at us Goldie.” Jason was worried. He wasn’t used to seeing his big brother like this.  

“C-c-can’t….”

With another painful sounding gasp Dick shuddered and his eyes rolled back again. Bruce was about to tell his boys to get cold compresses only to see Jason taking them from Damian’s arms and placing them over Dick. Now all they had to do was wait.

While they were heading out of the room Jason grabbed onto Bruce’s shoulder and spun on him.

“Bruce what the hell?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean the whole yelling and blaming Dick for Tim! He didn’t deserve that and you know it. You’re the world’s greatest detective and you couldn’t see he was dead on his feet?”

“Jason, I know I made a mistake. I understand. Don’t you think I’m kicking myself enough for this already? If I had been better then Tim would still be alive and Dick wouldn’t be-”

“No. Stop. If Dickhead can’t say it then I will. My job as acting oldest. It’s not your fault, what happened to Tim. You’re as much to blame as Dick is. That’s none, since you need clearing up on that. You didn’t know, couldn’t have known. What happened to Tim is terrible and we’re all missing him but no one is to blame but the things out there.”

Bruce simply pulled Jason into a hug and held him. 

“Thank you Jason.”

He wasn’t expecting it when Jason hugged him back.

“Anytime old man.”

They stood like that for a little before Jason left to get Damian changed and ready for bed. They had had a long day and were ready for a good long rest, although they knew they’d have nightmares. Bruce walked back to the beds and took a blood sample from Tim and started running tests to try to find the virus in order to make an antidote. He didn’t want his son’s sacrifice to be in vain. He went back to the table again and brushed Tim’s hair off his face and he let himself really feel it. He started to cry. He’d lost his son. He was supposed to protect him but in the end he had been too late. Too late again to save another child. He hadn’t been there to hold him and tell him he’d be okay. He wasn’t there to shush away the pain. He wasn’t there to stop his little boy from being shredded and eaten. He wiped the blood off of him and changed him into his favorite outfit. Standing, he placed a soft kiss onto Tim’s cold forehead and got him stored away inside one of the freezer areas. 

He walked back to Dick’s bedside and sat down to wait. All of this chaos made him see just how important family is. How much all of his boys mean to him and how much he would do absolutely anything to make sure that they got to see another day. He wouldn’t be late again. He’d make sure. 

**Author's Note:**

> Should I make more of this? If yes where do you think it should go?


End file.
